waterfall charts in design studio 1.6

[former_member288675]

Hello, I had a nice waterfall chart that worked perfectly with conditional formatting and all.

However, now we have upgraded to 1.6 (SP3) the formatting no longer works. Most of the threads that I have read say the answer is to switch to the waterfall chart from the Info Chart option. This I have done but, my issue is that the new chart only picks up the first key figure from my data source - please note that I am actually using a structure with seven key figures to populate my chart rather than one key figure with a month drilldown for example.

Does anyone have any advice on how to include all of my key figures because it doesn't seem obvious in the chart configuration or any of the training material.

Many Thanks.

Guy

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Guy,

I think your issue might be related to a problem I was also having a couple of weeks ago, albeit with a different chart type. I think what you are experiencing is related to how InfoCharts now link data sources to display what is a measure and what is a dimension. You mention you have seven key figures instead of one key figure and drill down - so I can assume, you want to treat your seven key figures as dimensions, but DS won't let you do it. This is exactly how I like (and in many cases, need) to structure my data sources as well, which seems to now cause a lot of problems in the new InfoCharts, which dumbly decide for you what you want to show on your chart. If you switch your chart type to, for example, columns, you will probably see that DS is treating your key figures as separate series of different colours and will put them in the legend. It will also display just one key figure in, for example, pie chart, ignoring other key figures entirely.

Unfortunately, there is no easy way around it. You can read the following thread to see what my problem was and how I eventually managed to bend my BW query to trick Design Studio to see the data correctly. You may need to do something similar to trick your InfoChart:

https://answers.sap.com/questions/138044/index.html

If you send me a screenshot of your data source (if it's a BW query) I could try to see if I can figure something out.

[marco_jehle]

Hey Guy, which Patchlevel did you use? We are on 1.6 SP3 Patch 1 without any issues with waterfall Charts. We want to upgrade soon, that's why a want to evaluate if there is an issue with a higher patchlevel.

Thanks in advance.

[former_member288675]

Hello Agata, yes it worked perfectly. Thank you very much, will have a beer in your honour later! Guy

[Former Member]

Great! I am so glad. Took me two weeks to figure this out and I am so happy I have found someone else who is having the same problem with the stupid InfoChart design in DS. I hope they will correct it in their future releases, or bring back the option to swap axis.

[former_member288675]

Yes this might well be possible...I will let you know how I get on.

Cheers!

[former_member288675]

Hello Agata, thank you for your response.

Yes I considered that by introducing the key figure names as actual characteristic values and combining my key figures results into one that could then be split out by this new characteristic but, this will require back end work. which I really want to avoid as a parts of my calculations need to be done in Bex. The query view is here - waterfall-query.jpg but, it is only the key figures that I want to appear in my chart nothing more so, I think that I may be frustrated. Any assistance you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks,

Guy

[Former Member]

OK. I think it's exactly the same scenario I was having. You will need to try to build your query in such a way, that your rows: previous margin, cost price impact etc. DO NOT actually contain any key figures...

Start by moving your key figures structure into the column area. This is where your key figures will be sitting. You can hide all of them except for the first one, as you will be needing just the first one. Now, in the rows area, create a new structure with 9 new empty selections and call them exactly how you call your key figures - this is what your future chart will be displaying. Note: BW will complain that the selections are empty, but you can move a random characteristic with no restriction there and it will silence it (perhaps, there is a common restriction that you use in your key figures that you could move here instead of having it in key figures? I don't know if you key figures are basic, or restricted key figures?). I have done this for three key figures but you get the idea:

Now, you have built a structure of 9x9 (mine is 3x3). Go to the Cells set up now and create references where the rows and columns match by double-clicking into the cells, starting with the second key figure. Do it for all other key figures:

Third step: create formulas in all rows of the first column by right-clicking on the cells and selecting New formula. Go into each by double-clicking and assign the relevant referenced cell:

Your aim is to line up all your key figures in your first column only, overwriting the original key figure. Your BW query is ready.

In Design Studio, your InfoChart should start showing the correct data. If it isn't, in your InfoChart Properties select measures to display on your chart and only select the first column (since you have hidden the other columns at the BW query level you should only see one column anyway), and that columns should now be picked up by your chart.

Let me know if that worked for you.

Agata